BioCryst Pharmaceuticals,Inc. (BCRX)

[Deano361]

Galidesivir is an adenosine nucleoside analog that acts to block viral RNA polymerase. RNA polymerase plays a crucial role in the viral replication process, including transcription and replication of the virus genome. Nucleoside RNA polymerase inhibitors, such as galidesivir, are metabolized to the active triphosphate (nucleotide) form by cellular kinases. The drug nucleotide binds to the viral enzyme active site and becomes incorporated into the growing viral RNA strand, leading to premature chain termination.

Interfering with the replication process is a well-established antiviral strategy that has been successfully exploited in developing such life-saving drugs as the nucleoside inhibitors of HIV and acyclovir for herpes simplex complex. This approach could allow a single broad-spectrum drug like galidesivir to address gaps in the U.S. government’s medical countermeasure plan and to possibly replace multiple, pathogen-specific drugs for use in response to both natural outbreaks and bioterrorist threats.

https://www.biocryst.com/our-program/galidesivir/